Trunk



March 1, 1927.

J. A, BOLZ TRUNK Filed May 1, i92

Patented Mar. 1, 1927.

UNITED STATES JULIUS A. BOLZ, OIE EVERETT, MASSACHUSETTS.

TRUNK.

Application filed May 1, 1926. Serial No. 105,905.

This invention relates to a trunk cover having a sheeet metal band attached to, and extending around, the cover, and projecting from the inner edge thereof, to form a flange which overlaps the upper portion of the trunk body, when the cover is closed, the body and cover being provided respectively, with complemental lower and upper latching members, adapted to confine the cover at a plurality of points when it is closed.

Heretofore, the construction has been such that when the cover is closing, the sheet metal cover band or flange has a. chafing contact with the upper portion of the trunk body, so that it has been necessary to provide the body with protecting means, preventing chafing wear bv the cover band.

inc chief OlJJGCb or my invention is to prevent this chafing wear and through the instrnmentality of the latching members attached to the cover, obviate the necessity and expense of protecting means on the body.

' The invention is characterized by latching members on the cover, adapted not only to have a. cover-confining engagement with complemental latching members on the trunk body, but also to prevent chafing or wearing contact of the cover band with the body, the latching members on the cover bei formed to contact with limited portions of the trunk body, when the cover is approaching, and. when it reaches its closed position.

()f the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,

Figure l is a perspective view showing a trunl: cover embodying the invention, closed on the body of a trunk.

' l igure 2 a. fragmentary perspective view, showing portions of the back of the cover and the body.

Figiire 3 is av fragmentary perspective view, showing a corner portion of the cover, and one of the latching members attached thereto.

Figure 4 a fragmentary perspective view, showing a portion of the front .of the cover, and another latching member attached thereto.

Figure 5 is a section on the plane indicated by line of Figure 4, a portion of the trunk body being also shown in section on the same plane.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary front elevation, showing by full lines portions of the cover and a latching member attached thereto, and

by dotted lines, a portion ofthe trunk body, and a latching member attached thereto.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary rear elevation, showing. portions of the cover and body, and one of the connecting hinges.

H Figure 8 is a section on line 88 of Figure l.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the figures.

The cover 13, having the improvements hereinafter described, may be used with a body 12 of any suitable construction and provided with a plurality of latching members, adapted to cooperate with latching members onthe cover, in confining the cover when it is closed. The cover is provided with the usual sheet metal band 14, attached by fasteners 15 to the wall portion of the cover, the band extending around the cover and projecting downward therefrom, to form a flange adapted to overlap the external surface of the upper portion of the body,'when the cover is closed.

The latching members, so far as the members on the body, and the portions of the members on the cover which engage the body 7 members are concerned, embody nothing new, my invention relating to the construction of the portions of'the cover members which are engaged with the sheet metal band or flange ll of the cover, as hereinafter described.

In this instance, three well known types of cover and body latches are shown by F i g- 1 ure 1, namely, corner latches, dowel latches, and bolt or hasp latches. The corner latches include angular lower members 16, fixed to the forward corners of the body 12, and angular upper members fixed to the forward corners of the cover, and formed to cooperate with the lower members in latching the forward corners of the cover in their proper relation to the forward corners of the body. These members are not interlocked to prevent the opening of the cover, and their confining action is'due to the fact that one member extends slightly into the other, when the cover is-closed. i

The dowel latches includelower members 17 fixed to the front side of the trunk body, and provided with sockets 17 (Figures 1 and 6), and upper members fixed to the forward side of the cover, and provided with projecting studs or dowels, which enter said sockets when the cover is closed. These members also are not interlocked to prevent the opening of the. cover.

The bolt or hasp latches include lower members 18, fixed to the front side of the trunk body and provided with the usual swinging U-shaped bolts or hasps 18 and upper members fixed to the forward side of the cover, and provided with projections which are engaged by the bolts 18, as shown by Figures 1 and 5, when the cover is closed, so that these latches prevent the opening of the cover.

It is to'be understood that the latches as thus far described, embody nothing new, so that further description thereof is not necessar 1 will now describe the features which characterize my improved cover. Each latching member on the cover includes a plate 19, riveted at 20 to the cover above the band 1 1, extending across the outer side of the band, and provided with a pair of spaced apart hooks composed of ears 21, seated on the inner side of the body-overlapping portion of the band, and necks 22 connecting the ears with the plate and seated on the lower edge of the band. The plate 19 and its hooks support the overlapping portion of the band embracedthereby against lateral displacement, theseveral plates 19 forming a row in which the plates are in somewhatclose proximity to each other. \Vhen the cover is approaching its closed position, the cars 21 and the necks 22, which are rounded, slide easily upon the edge portions of the trunk body which they encounter, without liability of chafing and wearing said edge portions, the ears differing in this respect from the free edge portion of the band, which is thin, and liable to be bent or displaced laterally. lVhen the cover is closed, the ears are interposed betwen the free edge portion of the band and the portion of the body overlapped thereby, so that chafing contact between the band and the body is prevented, and the expense of the usual sheet metal protecting strip applied to the body to prevent such chafing contact, is avoided.

The plates 19 associated with the corner latching members on the cover, are angular, as shown by Figures 1, 2 and 3, and the plates 19' associated with the other latching members on the cover, are substantially. flat.

To interlock the coupling members on the cover with the band 14, and strengthen their connection with the band, I form nested bosses 2-1, in the ears 21. the band 14, and the plates 19, as shown by Figure 5. these bosses being formed by a suitable tool which displaces portions of the material of the ears, band and plate.

The hinges connecting t-hecover 13 with the body 12, may be composed of strap members 25 and 26 (Figures 2, 7 and 8), connected by a pintle 27, engaged with eyes formed on the meeting ends of the members. The lower strap member 26 is secured to the body 12 by rivets 28, as usual. The upper strap member 25. is secured to the cover and to the band 1 1, by means substantially like the means securing the plates 19 above described. Said strap member is riveted at 29 to the cover, above the band 14, extends across one side of the band, and is provided with a hooked ear 30, seated on the lower edge and on the opposite side of the bodyoverlapping portion of the band, as shown by Figure 8. The ear 30 is interlocked with the band 1st, and with the portion of the strap member 25, hearing on the band, by nested bosses 31 (Figure 8), formed by a tool which displaces portions of then'iaterial of the ear, the band and the strap member. The band 14, therefore, is utilized as an element of means for firmly attaching the hinge member 25 to the cover, said member, the ear 30, and the bosses 31, stifi'ening and strengthening the corresponding portion of the band. 7

I claim:

1. A trunk cover having a sheet metal band attached to and projecting therefrom, to overlap the upper portion of-a trunk body when the cover is closed, and a plurality of latching members complemental to latching members on the body, each cover-latching member including a plate riveted to the cover above the band, extending across the outer side of the band, and provided with spaced apart hooks composed of ears seated on the inner side of the overlapping portion of the band, and necks connecting the ears with the plate and seated on the lower edge of said overlapping portion, the hooks reinforcing the overlapping portion, supporting the same against lateral displacement, and adapted to slide on the upper edge portion of the body when the cover is being closed, and thereby prevent chafing contact between the band and the body.

2. A trunk cover as specified by claim 1, each cover-latching member being interlocked with the band by nested bosses projecting outward from the ears of the hooks into the band, and from the band into the plate.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

JULIUS BOLZ. 

